Surfacing machine



June 1o, 1930. GH. NOBBS 1,763,365

SURFAG ING MACHINE Filed Deo. 22. 192'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 4l I@ a xmmwmn a Je/ y 7 n w June 10, V1930. G.,H. NOBBS SURFACING MACHINE Filed D'eo. 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 10, 1930 i rein GEORGE I-I. NOBBS, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS SURFACING- MACHINE Application led December' 22, 1927.

My invention relates to surfacing machines generally, and particularly to machines for cleaning, polishing and otherwise operating upon floors, fixtures, furniture and the like,

f and it has for its object to provide an improved machine of this class.

`Many attempts have heretofore been made to produce a practical electrically operated floor cleaning and polishing machine and wie some of these machines have been quite successful in eliminating the laborious work formerly required to clean and polish a floor by hand. Many of these machines, however, were `so constructed as to apply too much iressure or not enough ressure u on the 3120 due to the fact that the entire weight of the structure was sometimes carried by the brushes or pads and sometimes by rollers provided on' the frame and resting on the floor. VWith the last mentioned type was present the c 2 5 objection that the brush or other tool would not properly follow inequalities or any unevenness in the floor. Furthermore, machines of the latter type were further objectionable for the reason that the wheels or rollers were p30 liable to strike and mar or disiigure the woodwork. Machines of that type where the brush or other tool supported the whole weight were objectionable, also, for the reason that it was diliicult to direct and control the same owing to the tendency of the rotating` or otherwise movable brush or pad to shift the structure about.

. My invention has for its object to provide an improved surfacing machine and particularly a machine of this class for use in cleaning or otherwise operating upon floors, lixtures, furniture and the like, which will be free and clear of the objections noted above and which will possess certain other advantages hereinafter pointed out.

To these ends I have'provided an improved machine for operating upon floors, lixtures, furniture and the like, having the peculiar features of construction and mode of opera- 50 tion set forth inthe following description,

Serial No. 241,743.

the novel features of the invention being particularly pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a floor polishing machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the lovver portion of the machine shown in Fig. l.

Figure 4; is a bottom shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail hereinafter described.

Figure 7 illustrates a modification.

In the accompanying drawings, l have illustrated my invention as embodied in a machine for use in cleaning and polishing floors or other fiat surfaces, said machine including an annular ring-like metal base frame l having a vertical imperfcrate circular skirt portion 2 provided at its top with an inwardly extending flange or top wall portion 3 formed uponits upper side with a socket 4; within which is seated one end of the frame of a high speed universal electric motor 5 whose armature shaft 6 is disposed vertically as shown. Motor 5 is secured in place within the socket l by means of screws ll.

Surrounding the lower end portion of the skirt 2, and abutting an annular rib or shoulder 2a provided upon the exterior of the latter, is a felt ring 7 having its bottom side formed with a plurality of radial air inlet conduit grooves 7a which, in effect, divide the bottom portion of ring 7 into a circular series of floor engaging pads 7 b. This felt ring 7 is clamped -or compressed on to the skirt 2 by a f ring-encircling sheet metal belt or strap 9 whose ends are fastened together by means of a bolt- 10. Both the lower edge of belt 9 and the lower edge of skirt 2 are above the level of the air inlet conduit grooves 7al as shown clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Thus the frame l is an inverted cup-like structure whose lower edge or chime is constituted by a felt member 7 herein shown as formed upon its bottom side with radial conwf plan view of the parts duit grooves 7 a through which the interior of -said frame communicates with the outside atmosphere. The top wall 3 of this inverted cup-like frame structure is made with a plurality of air outlet ports 3a.

The shaft 6 of motor 5 projects downwardly into the chamber 12 provided by base frame 1 and has mounted thereon a sleeve 13 .that is fixed rigidly thereto by a pin 14. Slidably mounted upon sleeve13 is a hub 15 that is splined to the sleeve 'by means of a pin 16carried by said hub and extending throughl longitudinal slots formed in the sleeve, one of which is shown at 17. near its upper end with an annular flange 18 tothe under side of which is rivetedl a sheet metal 'plate or strip 19 formed at its middle with an aperture through which hub 15 eX- tends. This plat-e 19 with its hub 15 constitutes the body portion of a. fan or propeller being provided vat opposite sides thereof with obliquely disposed fan blades 2O which', when the shaft (i is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, forces the air Within base 1` upwardly into the upper part of chamber 12 whence it escapes through the ports 3a. The relatively low air pressure thus established below the fan effects an inwardv flow of air through the conduit grooves 7a. Thus, when motor 5 is running currents of air are continuously flowing inwardly through said conduits and across the floor surface at the bottom of chamber 12.` Y

The plate 19 is apertured to accommodate screws 21 by means of which two bristle brushes 22 are secured to the under side thereof, at opposite sides of the hub 15. It will thus be clearthat when the machine is in operation the reaction of the propeller or fan constituted by the hub 15 and plate 19 with its wings 20, will thrust and hold the brushes 22 forcibly against the floor 23, and this utilization of the reaction thrust of the propeller or fan to forcibly, yet yieldingly, hold the brush or other tool against the work independently of the weight of the machine is an important and distinguishing feature of my invention.

TheV top side of the vwall 3 is formed with lugs 26, Figs. 1 and 2, toY which is pivotally connected, as by a bolt 27,'the lower end o av handle bar 28, said lower end being constituted by two oppositely disposed strap iron arms 29 and 30.? Thetop of the frame of moy tor 5is made with. anup'standing pairof lugs 314 embracing one end Vof a rigid'metal strut V32 to which they are pivotally connected by a bolt 33. The opposite end of strut132 occupies a position between the ends" of a strap iron sleeve 34 mounted upon the handle bar 28, said ends being-pivotally connected with the strut 32 by means of a bolt 35'provided with a wing nut 36. When the nut 36 is loose the sleeve 34 can be slid lengthwise of the handle bar to adjust the angle and height of the free end of the same. By screwing the nut 36 up This hub 15is madeA the. wires 37 are separably connected by a twopartl connector 38 of usual construction with he lower ends of a pair of wires 39 which extend upwardly through a hole or groove provided in handle bar 28 to the upper end of the latter. The upper ends of these wires 39 are fastened to adouble coupling terminal 40 of usual construction by means of which they may be connected with a current supply. Tn one of the wires 39 is arranged a push button switch 41 mounted on handle bar 28 and so long as the operator maintains finger pressure on the push button 42 of switch 41 the circuit of motor 5 is closed and the latter is operating. When the push button is released this switch automatically opens the circuit of motor 5. f

' The pin and slot connection ylf'and 17 is made so as to permit outward movement kof thebrushes and their fan holder into positions where the floor engaging ends of the bristols are well outside of the vplane of the bottom side of the felt ring 7. Therefore, when the machine is laced down on the floor for use the brush ho ding fan will be shoved back intothe base 1 until the felt ring comes to rest upon the surface of the floor. Now, when the motor 5 is started by closing the switch 41 the brushes 22 are rotated and at the same time the propeller or fan exerts a downward thrust on thebrush'esl which holds them against the floor under pressure as they rotate whilealso, air is caused to circulate through the conduit grooves 7, the chamber 12 and ports 3Ll as described above. While the motor is operating the machine is slid aboutover the Hoor by means of the handle bar so that the floor is acted upon by the felt pads 7b as well as by the brushes. Thus when a cleaning or polishing Huid or medium is first spread yupon the Afloor and then the latter is treated by the machine, the rfelt pads serve to rub such fluid thoroughly into, and spread it about evenly over, the floor in advance of the brushes regardless of the direction in which the machine is'movedl.,

Ins-polishing a floor the felt pads 7lJ may be applied to the floor with any desired pressure vim Ito

at the bottom of the chamber and to cool thc wax.

is will b e clear, worn out brushes are readily removed and new ones substituted when necessary. Also, other tools than brushes may be used in lieu of the latter and other material than telt may be used for mals ing the ring 7.

The above described cleaning and polishing machine is ot simple and eiiicient construction and by providing` the same with appropriate tools it may be used for a variety of purposes and for other purposes than merely cleaning and polishing. ldhen used tor a purpose that results in the production ot dust as in surfacingl wood or stone, it will be clear that the up draft ot air jliiassin;` through the chamber l2 will entrain and carry off with it whatever dust is produced, thereby keeping the floor clean so that the tools will act with the greatest eticiency. `When thus employed it may sometimes be desirable to providesome means for collecting the dust that is carried ott with the air such as a dust receptacle connected with the ports 3a by a suitable conduit or conduits as in vacuum sweepers or cleaners as heretofore constructed.

The strut 32 in addition to serving` the function of a strutto hold the handle bar 28 rigidly in position, also can be used as a hanshown in this figure the member or pin 16 is threaded at one end and screwed into a threaded hole provided in the hub 15. This construction permits oi removal ot the pin 16 and when the same is removed the tool cariying` propeller tan can be slid oil from the `sleeve 13. l/Vith the instrument above described l propose to furnish more than one propeller tan carrying different kinds of tools and, as will be clear, this construction per mits ot removal ot one propeller tan and the substitution of another.

ln Fig. 7 ll have shown a modified term ot tool holder constructed also to serve as a tan or propeller wherein the plate 19 provides two diametrically opposite radial tool carrying` arms each made at opposite sides thereot with veins 20, the vein 20 at one side beingdirected obliquely upward and the vein at the opposite side obliquely downward. rl`his torni of holder will have greater capac-` ity as an air propeller than the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

l-Jhat l claim is l. fr machine oit the character described comprising` a base frame that is supported directly by the tloor or the like; a motor mounted upon said traine; a rotary propeller tan splined upon the sha'lit of said motor; and a tool connected with said propeller tan and yieldingly held against the floor or the like by the reaction thrust et said propeller ta 2. A machine of the character described constructed in accordancewith claim l and wherein the propeller tan is separably splined to the shaft ot said mot-or so as to. provide for removal thereof and the substitution ot another propeller tan.

3. ik machine ot the character described comprising an inverted cup-like base traine whose chime rests upon the tloor or the like; an electric motor mounted centrally upon the top ot said 'frame with its armature shaiit in a vertical. position and projectingl into the interior et said base trame; a rotary propeller tan splined upon the shaft ot said motor, and a tool carried by said propeller tan and yieldingly held against the loor or the like by the reaction thrust of said propeller fan;

et. A machine ot the character described constructed in accordance with claim 5 and wherein the chime ot said base frame con* siste ot floor engaging pads that are sepa rated to provide radial air conduit @grooves between them and wherein said base trame is provided with an air outlet port.

5. A machine ot the character described comprising' a metal base trame annulus; loor engaging pads ot telt carried by the lower portion ot said base trame, and separated to provide radial air inlet passages between them; a motor centrally mounted upon the top ot said trame with its armature shaft projecting` within the latter; a rotary propeller fan splined upon theshatt ot said motor; a tool carried by said propeller tan and yieldingly held against the floor or the like by the reaction thrust of said propeller tan,

and an air outlet port at the top ot said base trame annulus.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a metal base trame annulus hava skirt portion provided at its top with an inwardly extending top wall flange made with an air outlet port; a ring of telt or the like surrounding the lower portion of the skirt. and projecting below the latter, said ringI being` formed at its bottom with a series ot door engaging pads that are separated to provide radial air conduit grooves between them; means iXedly clamping said ring in position on said skirt; a centrally disposed electric motor mounted upon and secured to the top wall flange ot said base frame with its armature shaft in a vertical position and projecting into said base frame; a rotary propeller fan Withinsaid base frame having a hub splined upon the shaft of said motor and a pair of radially disposed fan arms projecting fromy opposite sidesrof' said hub and a tool separably but rigidly fastened to each arm and yieldingly held against the Hoor or the like by the reaction thrust of said fan arms.

7. A surfacing machine comprising a frame; a tool rotatably mounted on said frame and movable axially relatively thereto toward and from the Work; a propeller fan Connected with said tool so that its reaction thrust urges said tool toward the Work, and neans for rotating said tool and propeller 8. A surfacing machine' comprising a roetably supported tool carrying membermade with vanee and yieldingly urged toward the work by the reaction thrust of said vanes when the member is rotated; means for rotating said member and a frame by Which said. member is supported so as to be movable toward and from the Work.

Signed by me at Boston, county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts this 16th day of December, 1927.` f

i GEORGE NOBBS'.r 

